NCBA News

NEVADA CITY—At its March 13 meeting, the Project Advisory Group for the new Nevada City Courthouse agreed on the three top potential sites for the new building:

• USDA National Forest Service Office location
• Melo Pello/Hirschman area—northwest corner of Cement Hill Road and Hwy 49
• Parcels at the corner of Highway 49 and Coyote

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On May 28, the Nevada County Superior Court issued Executive Order #190 on revised operations and protocols of the court due to Covid19. The order was distributed narrowly on May 30. 

The order details schedules, calendars and operations for criminal cases, family law cases, civil cases, and remote appearances, and protocol for jurors, as well as Truckee operations. Criminal trials are to resume in June.

The Court now required face coverings for all persons over the age of 2 years, and requires social distancing. This Order supplements prior Orders.

Similar to other government agencies and California Trial Courts, the Superior Court of California, County of Placer (Court) is closely monitoring the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. The Court is in routine communication with Placer County Public Health, other Placer County justice agencies, other California Trial Courts, and the Judicial Council of California. We are working with these and other entities to ensure we have up-to-date information and can best weigh the need to provide access to justice to our community, while also supporting the activities of our public health agencies and the health of the public.

The Court has implemented additional cleaning protocols in high use areas to reduce the potential for transmission of this or other viruses for those coming to our courthouses.

We encourage everyone to follow the Center for Disease Control and Placer County Public Health guidance on prevention (https://www.placer.ca.gov/6367/Novel-Coronavirus-COVID-19).

The Court initiated changes to its operations on March 9 and modified those changes on March 12 and 13. Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, Placer County Superior Court will further adjust its court operations. In total:

All civil jury trials currently set between Monday, March 16, and Friday, April 10, 2020, will be postponed.

All criminal jury trials currently set between Monday, March 16, and Friday, March 20, 2020, have been postponed. The Court is seeking an emergency order to postpone all criminal jury trials through April 10, 2020. The Court will issue an updated announcement as circumstances warrant.

All non-traffic infraction and traffic infraction and misdemeanor hearings and trials (all cases beginning with “41-”) set between Monday, March 16 and Friday, April 10, 2020, will be postponed to a new hearing date. This does not include hearings related to driving under the influence cases.

New citation appearance dates in traffic matters are being reviewed to ensure they have been set for hearing no less than 75 days from the date the citation was issued. If the timeline was less than 75 days, the court will set a new date. The Court will provide notice to impacted parties of their new date in these situations.

Parties in family law and civil cases are encouraged to appear by telephone for most matters. The Court encourages you to review the list of matters that can be heard remotely, either via telephone or via a video appearance. The Court has expanded the list of hearings eligible for telephone appearance without prior approval. Instructions for how to appear can be found at: http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/RAS.shtml.

For Small Claims and Unlawful Detainer hearings set to be heard on or after March 23, 2020, the Court is offering video appearances through its new video appearance system. Information on how to use this service is available on the Court’s remote appearance page at: http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/RAS.shtml.

The Court has implemented significant changes to its Self-Help Center. With the exception of the Domestic Violence Restraining Order Workshop, all workshops are cancelled until further notice. In-person services are limited to emergencies only. Please visit the SelfHelp section of the Court’s website for information on how to schedule a telephone or video appointment.

The Court asks that when entering a courtroom or finding seating in other areas of the courthouse, members of the public keep at least one vacant seat between themselves and the next unfamiliar person.

The Court further asks that members of the public allow space while waiting in lines, and that they not crowd elevators or other confined spaces. Court visitors may be asked to wait in hallways or outside courtrooms to minimize gathering sizes in closed areas. Please follow the accommodation, health, and safety directions of any Sheriff’s Deputies or other Court Employees offering their assistance.

If you believe you are sick, or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or any other communicable disease, please contact the Court Clerk’s Office at 916-408-6000 for further information. If you have an attorney, contact your attorney before calling the Court. Defendants who have posted bail are encouraged to discuss the bail issues with their attorney and the bail bonding company.